The boy, whose name was Karl, sat with Rosetta cross legged on the grass and they chatted to each other about what had just happened. The shared experience had been very effective in breaking the ice and they spoke like they had known each other for years.
"I mean, you did see what I just saw ... and also heard," said Karl who was very excited. "That badger definitely spoke, didn't it?"
"Yes it did, and it also looked strange ... did you see. Its eyes were almost human. Not the same as ours to look at … but when it looked at you, you would guess that they see the world much as we see it," said Rosetta, not mentioning the strange feeling which had overcome her. "They were not like a normal animal's eyes"
"Hmm" said Karl looking pensive. "But it was only that last one that was odd. The rest seemed to be plain old badgers ...."
"Yes but it was the eyes that got to me ... Have you seen them do anything like that before? I'm guessing you have seen them before today. You looked like you were waiting for them; like you knew they were coming."
Karl considered for a few seconds and said, "I have been watching them on and off since next door - your house I mean - became empty, but I have never seen anything odd. I mean they would come and play, like they did tonight, and then once they had eaten some plums they would go. I’ve never seen anything unusual before."
Then they both fell silent for, strange as it seemed, they could not find anything more to say about the talking badger; the event was so bizarre that it needed more time to think about before you felt like you could say anything about it. After a few seconds Rosetta asked Karl if he would be going to her school.
Karl it seemed went to Oldmere School; or he would be, starting from this year. This seemed odd to Rosetta; Karl's cottage was not much larger than hers and Rosetta had the definite impression that the school was very expensive. The parents of Oldmere School children were bankers or international businessmen, not people from the village.
"Oh ... Well yes you're right normally," said Karl when she asked him about it. "But the school is very old and has some very strange traditions. It was founded in 1280 by Edward I, just about the same time he conquered Wales, and written into its founding charter are lots of unusual rules that still apply even now.
“One of these is that every five years the school is required to take a child from Oldmere village on a free scholarship. The teachers come into the primary school here, and choose one of the kids. It is quite an event in the village. They hold an entrance exam in the primary school. The adults go quite stupid about it as you can imagine. Some families even move to the village just so their kids get a chance at the exam. Anyway last year they chose me."
"Wow. So you start this year?"
"Yes, but it's definitely not all it is made out to be. I'm the only child in the village who goes to the "Posh Knoll" as the school is known here, and some of the local kids hold it against you. And in the school the "Outside Scholar" can also get it in the neck. You don't sleep in the school, as your house is in the village anyway, and you come from a different background. You are kind of neither one thing or another ... you fall between the village and the school.
"Anyway after I got the scholarship, I spent a couple of weeks at the school. Just to see if I'd like it and it wasn't too bad to be honest, nothing like I'd feared, but it might be different when I start full time. Last year was just a couple of days a week for half a term."
And with that Karl fell suddenly silent pulling at the grass between his legs.
Rosetta started to say something when a voice came from over the hedge - "Karl! Kaaarl!"
"It's Mum. I'd better go," said Karl rising to his feet.
"We should meet again tomorrow," said Rosetta quickly. "I mean ... I'll dig out my camera and we can see if we can't catch that badger."
Karl smiled and said, "Yes let’s do that," and with that he climbed onto the roof of the playhouse and hopped over the hedge into his garden.
Rosetta sat for a moment thinking, and then went inside where she found her mum curled up in a wide armchair, an empty bottle of wine on the table, and Aimee cuddled up beside her. Her sister’s honey hair was spread in a circle on her mother’s shoulder; she was also asleep.
About the Author
Bob Cregan lives in the county of Somerset, UK with his wife and two daughters. He likes cycling and guinea pigs.
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